Run Away
by Saphire Starlet
Summary: Takes place during the 5th book. What if Harry didn’t heed Dumbledore’s warning to stay at Headquarters? Harry’s missing, the Order is in a panic, and two frantic Marauders are on loose. Now it’s a race against time to find the BoyWhoLived before a fate m
1. Chapter 1

**Runaway**

By: Saphire Starlet

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Harry Potter works, series, merchan - you get the idea! Please don't hurt me!

Summary: Takes place during the 5th book. What if Harry didn't heed Dumbledore's warning to stay at Headquarters? Harry's missing, the Order is in a panic, and two frantic Marauders are on loose. Now it's a race against time to find the Boy-Who-Lived before a fate much worse than death befalls him.

**AN:** I've always wondered what would have happened in the 5th book if Harry _had_ runaway... I thought I'd post this before the 6th book comes out!

* * *

"Stay where you are." 

"I haven't moved!" said Harry, his hand still upon the doorknob. "So what's the message?

"I have just given it to you, dolt," said Phineas Nigellus smoothly. "Dumbledore says, _'Stay where you are.'_"

Harry stared in disbelief at Phineas Nigellus's portrait. There was no way that he would stay here and put all of his friends at risk... his _godfather_ at risk. He let go of the knob and unlatched his trunk, taking the invisibility cloak, a little sack of money, his Gringots key, and stuffed a few chocolate frogs into his robe pockets.

Harry turned around and glared at Phineas's picture, "If Dumbledore wanted me to stay here, then he could have told me himself. I'm leaving."

And with that, Harry wrapped himself up in the invisibility cloak and opened the slipped out the bedroom door.

Phineas stared at the open door and heaved a weary sigh... he had to report this to Dumbledore. "I hate children."

_Privet Drive... here I come._ Harry thought dryly.

Harry made his way down the dark hallways of Grimmauld Place, occasionally peeking into the rooms to see his friends hanging Christmas decorations, and cooking dinner for that night. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny were all siting in the living room by hearth playing Exploding Snap, and Mrs. Weasley was talking with Mr. Weasley while cooking supper.

Harry swiped at his eyes, telling himself continually that this was the right thing to do. They'd be safer without him here. What if Voldemort possessed him again? He couldn't risk attacking Ron in his sleep... or —

"Remus, I don't know what to do!"

Harry stopped and peeked into the Drawing Room where Remus and Sirius were siting in arm chairs by the fire, drinking some sort of holiday wine in their crystal glasses. Harry leaned in a little closer.

"Sirius.. I know this is difficult, but you've got to keep a clear head." Remus told him softly.

Sirius took up the bottle of wine and poured himself another glass. "Harry's being possessed, Remus! What happens if he doesn't think he can be with us anymore?"

Lupin sighed, "We've just got to keep reassuring him that he isn't a danger to anyone, and keep him out of the Order business."

"Do you really think that would work? Merlin! The kid went into the Chamber of Secrets in his second year. SECOND year! Do you honestly think we can stop Harry from doing the same thing?"

Silence.

"I'm just scared, I guess."

Remus heaved a sigh, "We're all scared, Padfoot. Harry's a strong kid, he'll be alright."

"But what if he's not!" Sirius urged, "Voldemort, my God! He could become possessed at anytime!"

"He'll know what to do, Sirius."

Harry had heard enough of this conversation. Tugging the invisibility cloak closer, he headed towards the door, carefully turning the door knob and then slipping out into the night, his wand clutched in his white knuckled fist.

* * *

Ron Weasley poked his head inside his shared bedroom, expecting to see his best friend lying in misery on his bed. And to be truthful, Ron couldn't blame Harry for acting this way. If he was being possessed by You-Know-Who then he would hide from the world as well. 

"Harry, mom's just told us that din— "

The room was empty, and Harry Potter's trunk was opened, clothes strewn about all over the floor and the Marauders Map drifting serenely about on the floor in the breeze that the opened window let in.

Ron dashed out of the room, and then stopped on the landing.

"HARRY'S MISSING!"

His statement was followed by the slamming of the front door. And Sirius and Remus running out from the parlour. Sirius looked frantic.

"What do you mean, 'He's missing!'?" he hissed.

"Harry wasn't in his room! He's gone!" Ron told him, wide eyed and looking not a little bit scared.

"Pardon me, but I believe I know where he is."

Everybody's heads swung around the look at the Headmaster's head, which was wearing a regretful expression while bobbing in the fire place. Sirius lunged at the fire.

"_Where is he_?"

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**I hope that you enjoyed it! Next one up very soon! **

**Saph Starlet**


	2. Chapter 2

**Run Away**

Disclaimer: No... don't own it! Only the little slip of paper siting beside me which reserves my book 6! So... no... don't own it!

Summery: Takes place during the 5th book. What if Harry didn't heed Dumbledore's warning to stay at Headquarters? Harry's missing, the Order is in a panic, and two frantic Marauders are on loose. Now it's a race against time to find the Boy-Who-Lived before a fate much worse than death befalls him.

**AN:** Wow! Good response to the first chapter! I love to hear from all of you so... PLEASE REVIEW! I'm begging you! I've looked at the hits section on my bio page and so little of you have reviewed! Please, please, please! To those of you who _did_ review THANK YOU SO MUCH! Chocolate frogs and butterbeer to all of you! I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

"Are y'u s're yeh don't want an 'ot chocolate, Neville?"

Stan kept waving a ticket in Harry's face while he desperately tried to hurry to the back of the Knight Bus. After slowly progressing three blocks away from Grimmauld Place, Harry had summoned the bus with a wave of his lighted wand, counting himself especially lucky that magic was allowed during the Christmas holidays.

"No thanks, Stan. I just need to get to the corner of Magnolia Crescent and Privet Drive." Harry told the pimply conductor, already feeling the knot in his throat tighten slowly.

Stan shook his head, "'Onestly! You 'Ogwarts students don' know a bloody drink when you see one any'ore! Why drink Butter'eer when your could 'ave a nice 'ot chocolate?"

Harry took a seat on the furthest bed in the back of the bus (which was covered from front to back in garish Christmas decorations and even the purple beds had holy wrapped around the bed posts) and nervously folded the invisibility cloak up so that the burgundy material which lined the inside showed it's face. He hoped that that portrait of Sirius's grandfather would tell Dumbledore about his leave taking... things were already hard enough without him showing up on the Dursley's doorstep.

"Sirius..." Harry mumbled to himself, scrubbing his eyes with a vigour.

It wasn't that he _wanted_ to leave, it was because he _had to_. What if he woke up one morning to find best friends lying in a puddle of blood? Or Remus lying sprawled on the kitchen table, a knife embedded in his back. What then? Harry shuddered, he could almost feel Sirius's look of horror and shame of him written so clearly on his face like am opened text book.

And that feeling, that dirty and uncleanly feeling that seemed to overtake him when in the company of others. Harry wanted nothing more than a shower, a scalding hot shower so that he could scrub off this invisible dirt. He was a snake... a slithering cold blooded animal that only thirsted after innocents.

"_OI!_"

Harry jumped off the purple bed with a jolt and clutched the invisibility cloak to his chest as Stan gave him an odd look.

"We're 'ere, Neville, cross walk between Magnolia Crescent an' Pr— "

"Thanks, Stan." Harry said, pushing a few sickles into the conductor's hand.

He got off the bus and made his way steadily towards number 4 Privet Drive, a feeling of the utmost dread churning in his stomach.

* * *

Sirius Black hardly ever lost control off his feelings, he was not an easy man to read. On the rare occasion that he was caught off guard, depended largely on the situation. The foremost being when he'd found out Lily and James had died and then when he had lost Pettigrew from right under his fingertips. And now there was another event to add to his growing list of 'lost control' situations.

Harry Potter was missing.

No, his _godson_ was missing.

And Dumbledore was against him going to retrieve _his godson_.

"Now you listen to me." Sirius growled at the fire place while Dumbledore watched him, not a single glimmer inhabiting his gaze. "I will not just sit here in this hole, while my godson is going off to those pigs and a madman is trying to get at his head!"

Dumbledore heaved a heavy sigh that only served to put Sirius's anger up a notch. "Sirius, I know that you care about Harry very much and that you wish to retrieve him from family, warranted that he is there in the first place —"

"Of course that's where he's going!" Sirius snarled, only barely being restrained from diving into the fireplace by Remus's tight grip. "Only just the other day Harry told me he felt responsible for Arthur's attack! This is what happens when you don't tell the kid anything."

"I have my reasons for Harry not being informed about the situa — "

"DAMN YOUR REASONS YOU OLD —"

"_Sirius!_"

Remus swung Sirius around to look at him. Sirius seemed to be in danger of popping something and his eyes were widely erratic. He then glanced over at the headmaster and saw him bowing his head in the flames.

"We will go get Harry." Remus told the two men. "That is to say that Sirius and I will go and fetch Harry from the Dursleys. I'm sure that Sirius will take extra care in his appearance, Albus."

Sirius glanced at the headmaster, "I'm sorry, Albus... but you must understand that I am Harry's godfather and that I have a certain responsibility. And you can't keep so many secrets from him either. Harry has a right to know."

Dumbledore looked up his eyes still a bit solemn, "Yes, I too extend my apologies to you. I can't say that Harry will be informed about everything, but I shall do my best."

Sirius nodded, and then both Marauders stepped through the floo to the residence of Aberella Figg.

* * *

Privet Drive looked as it always had, although the fresh layer of snow upon the street made it look like a Christmas card more than anything else. Harry stepped up to the front door of Privet drive (which, as every other house on the block, had the Christmas tree sitting in the window with evenly distributed on the blue green branches) and rang the door bell, hoping for once in his life that he would be able to stay at Privet Drive.

The door opened almost immediately to reveal a happy looking Vernon Dursley wearing a maroon pullover and a glass of sherry in his hand. His guise changed when he caught sight of who was on his doorstep.

"_You!_"

"Me." Harry returned dully, "May I come in?"

"_What are you doing here, boy?_" Vernon hissed. "You're not supposed to be back for another ruddy six months!"

Harry sighed wearily, "I'm sorry to interrupt your holiday, sir. I just need a place to stay until I've figured things out, and then I promise I'll leave you and your family alone."

Uncle Vernon watched him shrewdly for a few moment before stepping aside and letting Harry pass. "You will stay in your room?"

He nodded.

"And not ruin our holiday."

He nodded again.

Vernon seemed satisfied. "Fine. You may help your self to a minimal amount of food, other than that, _stay out of our way._"

Harry nodded again as he stepped into the house and caught a glimpse of Aunt Petunia and Dudley (who must have been on break and looking even fatter than usual) before climbing up the stairs to his room.

It was just as dark and bare as normal, clothes still half in and out of the closet and books covering his bed from his escape back in Autumn. Harry sat down the cloak and went over to the window pane and stared glumly out at the falling snow. This was going to be one of his worst holidays, even if it was by choice... he was going to be miserable.

Or so he thought.

The doorbell rang, and then...

"Hello, I'm looking for my godson?"

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_Hello all! One more chapter left! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter... Please Review!_

_Saph Starlet_


	3. Chapter 3

**Run Away**

**Summary**Yeah, it's on the other two chapters!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything Harry Potter.

_"_Sirius! Will you get back under the bloody cloak, before someone sees you?"

Remus Lupin was close to having a coronary as Sirius Black, most famous convict of the century, toed the line of his sanity.

Sirius grinned at him before tugging the borrowed invisibility cloak a bit closer to his body, but still leaving a disturbing image of a floating eyeball. "Will you relax, Moony!" Sirius said, giddily, "This is the first time I've been outside since September!"

Remus sighed quietly as the two Marauders climbed up the front stair to Number 4 Privet Drive. "Padfoot, I swear that you'll be the death of me. Now, please let me do all the talking –"

Too late, Sirius had already thrown off the cloak and knocked on the wooden door. Remus rolled his eyes and waited while lumbering footsteps headed for the door. Sirius looked over at him conspicuously, "Do you remember the last time we saw Dursley at Lily's wedding? Do you think it's possible the man could have gotten any bigger?"

The door opened to reveal Vernon Dursley, mustache wobbling on his pudgy face. He eyed the two men as Sirius and Remus tried not to laugh. Sirius, ever the practical one… managed to quell his humor first and keep a straight face.

"Can I help you?" Dursley asked, leaning on the door frame so that it started to groan under the strain.

"Hello, I'm looking for my Godson." Sirius told the man, straightening a bit. "Have you seen him?"

Dursley changed to an ugly shade of puce and eyed both men carefully. "Are you…er… one of _them_?"

"Them?" Remus asked, puzzled, "You mean, a wizard?"

Vernon visibly restrained himself from snarling at them while glancing around at the quiet houses next door. "Never mind! It doesn't matter, the boy's upstairs… take him and get out of my house."

"Thank you, kind sir!" Sirius said merrily, "And Happy Christmas to you!"

Both wizards marched past the threshold and to the stairway at the other end of the hallway. They caught a glimpse of a warm living room with what looked like a human whale taking up the entire space of a couch and a slight woman leaning against the side of the sofa, stroking a tuft of the being's hair.

Sirius and Remus just looked at one another, "Well, I guess it is possible to become wider than you are tall."

* * *

__

Oh crap. 

Harry Potter heard Sirius, and leapt off the bed as soon as the door to his bedroom slammed open. Remus and Sirius both stood in the door way and looked around the room before settling their eyes on him. Sirius rushed at him..

"Harry! What were you thinking, leaving like that? Do you know what could have happened to you?"

Harry looked up at Sirius from the surprise hug that he'd just been given. Remus looked around in distaste. "Harry... is this what your room always looks like?"

"Um..." Harry started in embarressment, "Well..."

"Oh Moony! My room was worse than this... James's was even worse than mine, come to think of it..."

"Harry, why did you run away like that?" Remus asked.

"People would have gotten hurt." Harry mumbled. "I couldn't risk that."

"Harry!" said, pulling away in shock Sirius held Harry's forarms. "You could never hurt anyone! Will you come back and celebrate Christmas with us?"

Harry smiled at Sirius and Remus, he felt loved for the first time.


End file.
